Published: Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 12:02 a.m.

* Part one of a two-day series on the Terrebonne School Board's plan for a tax increase on the May 4 ballot.

As Terrebonne Parish voters ponder whether to raise the property tax collected for schools, officials are laying out plans for construction and renovation projects the increase would pay for.

The School Board is asking voters to increase the property tax it collects by 31 mills. The issue is on the May 4 ballot.

A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 worth of property. If voters approve the increase, the tax would increase from 9 mills to 40 mills.

The tax costs the owner of a $150,000 house about $67 a year now; the increase, if approved, would add another $232 to the bill.

School officials argue the increase is necessary because Terrebonne schools collect the lowest property tax in Louisiana. If approved, the new tax rate would match the state average.

The board is set to approve a spending plan for the money at its Tuesday meeting. Under the plan, proposed by Superintendent Philip Martin and already approved by the board's Finance Committee, 11 of the 31 mills would go to construction and renovation projects.

The plan goes to the full board for approval at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the School Board office, 201 Stadium Drive in Houma. Members of the public with thoughts on the plan can discuss it during that meeting.

School system finance staff estimate the 11 mills would raise enough money to pay for about $120 million in bonds for building projects.

Bonds are loans issued to government agencies and repaid over time using tax money.

Should the tax pass, every school would get some kind of renovation based on the current state of its campus.

“Most of our schools are somewhere like 60 years old,” said board member L.P. Bordelon. “When any building gets to that age, it requires upkeep and maintenance work. We just haven't had the money to do everything we need to do.”

The renovations would focus on improving school security. School entrances would be strengthened to make it harder to gain entry, and cameras, electronic locks and other equipment would be installed.

“We are looking at some exciting new technology that could really make parents feel safer about their children,” Martin said.

The bond money also would replace the portable buildings some schools currently use with permanent structures.

Martin said most schools in the parish have at least one portable on campus.

“This isn't something where we'd wake up one morning and all the portables are gone,” Martin said. “This is a process that would take time.”

Finally, the money would pay to add space at campuses that are currently over-crowded.

First on the list is Mulberry Elementary School, which was built to house 450 students. The current enrollment is 957.

Critics of expanding Mulberry point out that Southdown Elementary, a school with an attendance zone that borders Mulberry, has ample room to take students, so construction at Mulberry is wasteful.

Martin countered the only way to send Mulberry-bound students to Southdown would be to redraw attendance zones. Because the parish is still under a desegregation order, such a change would involve a lengthy bureaucratic ordeal.

But School Board members, who would have to redraw the school zones, say it also would be unfair to parents.

“The parents who send their kids to Mulberry now are happy. They like where they are now,” said board member Donald Duplantis. “We don't feel that we can change things up on them when they made the decision to live there.”

Southdown would get an upgrade, under Martin's plan, receiving an entirely new building on the site where the current school sits.

Martin said it makes sense to construct a new building because the repairs needed on the old one would cost millions of dollars.

In other places, the school system would consolidate several existing schools into one new campus.

In the Bayou Black area, for instance, Bayou Black Elementary, Greenwood Middle and Gibson Elementary would be joined in one new Bayou Black Elementary, which would house students from kindergarten through sixth grade.

In other places, schools would be consolidated into existing buildings that would be renovated to fit their new roles. Dularge Elementary and Dularge Middle would join together at a renovated Dularge Middle School site; West Park Elementary and Legion Park Middle would be combine at a renovated Legion Park site.

School Board members argue it makes financial sense to consolidate those schools. Reducing the number of schools requires less maintenance, support staff and supervision.

“We can make this school system more efficient and get more bang for our buck by doing this,” board President Roger DeHart said at the board's previous meeting.

Martin said no employees would be laid off because of the consolidations; as teachers retire or leave the school system, those vacancies would be filled by employees at eliminated schools.

Staff Writer Matthew Albright can be reached at 448-7635 or at matthew.albright@dailycomet.com.

<p><i> * Part one of a two-day series on the Terrebonne School Board's plan for a tax increase on the May 4 ballot. </i></p><p>As Terrebonne Parish voters ponder whether to raise the property tax collected for schools, officials are laying out plans for construction and renovation projects the increase would pay for. </p><p>The School Board is asking voters to increase the property tax it collects by 31 mills. The issue is on the May 4 ballot.</p><p>A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 worth of property. If voters approve the increase, the tax would increase from 9 mills to 40 mills. </p><p>The tax costs the owner of a $150,000 house about $67 a year now; the increase, if approved, would add another $232 to the bill.</p><p>School officials argue the increase is necessary because Terrebonne schools collect the lowest property tax in Louisiana. If approved, the new tax rate would match the state average. </p><p>The board is set to approve a spending plan for the money at its Tuesday meeting. Under the plan, proposed by Superintendent Philip Martin and already approved by the board's Finance Committee, 11 of the 31 mills would go to construction and renovation projects.</p><p>The plan goes to the full board for approval at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the School Board office, 201 Stadium Drive in Houma. Members of the public with thoughts on the plan can discuss it during that meeting. </p><p>School system finance staff estimate the 11 mills would raise enough money to pay for about $120 million in bonds for building projects.</p><p>Bonds are loans issued to government agencies and repaid over time using tax money.</p><p>Should the tax pass, every school would get some kind of renovation based on the current state of its campus.</p><p>“Most of our schools are somewhere like 60 years old,” said board member L.P. Bordelon. “When any building gets to that age, it requires upkeep and maintenance work. We just haven't had the money to do everything we need to do.” </p><p>The renovations would focus on improving school security. School entrances would be strengthened to make it harder to gain entry, and cameras, electronic locks and other equipment would be installed. </p><p>“We are looking at some exciting new technology that could really make parents feel safer about their children,” Martin said.</p><p>The bond money also would replace the portable buildings some schools currently use with permanent structures. </p><p>Martin said most schools in the parish have at least one portable on campus.</p><p>“This isn't something where we'd wake up one morning and all the portables are gone,” Martin said. “This is a process that would take time.”</p><p>Finally, the money would pay to add space at campuses that are currently over-crowded. </p><p>First on the list is Mulberry Elementary School, which was built to house 450 students. The current enrollment is 957. </p><p>Critics of expanding Mulberry point out that Southdown Elementary, a school with an attendance zone that borders Mulberry, has ample room to take students, so construction at Mulberry is wasteful.</p><p>Martin countered the only way to send Mulberry-bound students to Southdown would be to redraw attendance zones. Because the parish is still under a desegregation order, such a change would involve a lengthy bureaucratic ordeal.</p><p>But School Board members, who would have to redraw the school zones, say it also would be unfair to parents.</p><p>“The parents who send their kids to Mulberry now are happy. They like where they are now,” said board member Donald Duplantis. “We don't feel that we can change things up on them when they made the decision to live there.”</p><p>Southdown would get an upgrade, under Martin's plan, receiving an entirely new building on the site where the current school sits.</p><p>Martin said it makes sense to construct a new building because the repairs needed on the old one would cost millions of dollars.</p><p>In other places, the school system would consolidate several existing schools into one new campus. </p><p>In the Bayou Black area, for instance, Bayou Black Elementary, Greenwood Middle and Gibson Elementary would be joined in one new Bayou Black Elementary, which would house students from kindergarten through sixth grade. </p><p>In other places, schools would be consolidated into existing buildings that would be renovated to fit their new roles. Dularge Elementary and Dularge Middle would join together at a renovated Dularge Middle School site; West Park Elementary and Legion Park Middle would be combine at a renovated Legion Park site.</p><p>School Board members argue it makes financial sense to consolidate those schools. Reducing the number of schools requires less maintenance, support staff and supervision.</p><p>“We can make this school system more efficient and get more bang for our buck by doing this,” board President Roger DeHart said at the board's previous meeting.</p><p>Martin said no employees would be laid off because of the consolidations; as teachers retire or leave the school system, those vacancies would be filled by employees at eliminated schools.</p><p>Staff Writer Matthew Albright can be reached at 448-7635 or at matthew.albright@dailycomet.com.</p>